World Journal of Zoology 9 (2): 71-79, 2014 ISSN 1817-3098 © IDOSI Publications, 2014 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjz.2014.9.2.83190

Butterflies Diversity in Gugamal National Park, in the Tiger Reserve, -Central

1, 2K. Narasimmarajan, 1 Aniruth Kumar Vasava, 1 Subhasis Mahato, 12Abinash Parida and Manu Thomas Mathai

1Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box: 18, Chandrabani, Dehradun-248001 2Department of Zoology, Madras Christian College, Tambaram, Chennai, Southern India-600059

Abstract: Melghat Tiger Reserve is one of the finest dry deciduous and mixed deciduous habitat is situated in southern offshoot of the Satpura mountain province in Maharashtra. A detailed survey of butterflies was conducted between October 2010 and March 2011 in the Gugamal National Park which is core zone of the Tiger Reserve. The objective of the survey was to determine the presence of butterflies in the survey area. A total of 35 line transects were surveyed, each were repeated five times. A total of 66 species of butterflies belonging five families distributed over two super families (Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea) were recorded from the respective survey area. The highest number of species were documented in Nymphalidae (31 species) followed by Pieridae (16 species), Papillionidae (8 species), Lycaenidae (7 species) and Hesperidae (4 species) were recorded during the survey period. The observed butterflies were categorized as Common (C) 49.2% (31 species), Rare (R) 41.3 % (26 species) and Very Rare (VR) 9.5 % (6 species). Most of the butterflies were observed near water holes and scrub areas. Out of 66 species, Six species of butterflies namely Pachliopta hector-Linnaeus, Hypolimnasmisippus-Linnaeus, Appisalbina-Boisduval, Euploea core-Gramer, Euchrysopscnejus-Fabricious and Lampidas boelicus-Linnaeus are scheduled species under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

Key words: Gugamal National Park Scheduled Species Nymphalidae Conservation

INTRODUCTION Lycaenidae, 1 of Riodinidae, 16 of Pieridae, 9 of Papilionidae and 14 species of Hesperiidae) from Butterflies are probably next to birds in their Melghat Tiger Reserve [7] and 98 species of universal popularity, evoking curiosity and fondness butterflies belonging to Papilionidae (06 species), among children, naturalist and scientist alike. They can Pieridae (14 species), Nymphalidae (39 species), be studied and identified with the help of field guides Lycaenidae (24 species) and Hesperiidae (15 species) [1, 2] available without killing them. They are strictly were recorded in reserve forest area, Seminary Hill, habitat and seasonal specific and hence act as good Nagpur city [8- 9]. In a precise manner, after 2008 there indicators of the habitat quality. India hosts about 1504 have been no follow-up studies to examine the present species of butterflies [1, 3, 4] out of which103 species of status of the butterflies from the present survey area. It is butterflies was reported from Melghat Tiger Reserve [5] in this regard that we, in this study, carried out a short- and 51 species of butterflies belonging to seven term survey to assess the present status of butterflies in families were recorded from Melghat Tiger Reserve [6]. the Gugamal National Park. The Melghat region is noted Hundred and one species of butterflies belongs eight for its rich species diversity owing to the southern families and 19 subfamilies were recorded (22 species of tropical dry deciduous type of forest and temperate and Nymphalidae, 6 of Danaidae, 10 of Satyridae, 23 of rainfall variation. The survey was carried out in the critical

Corresponding Author: K. Narasimmarajan, Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box: 18, Chandrabani, Dehradun-248001., Department of Zoology, Madras Christian College, Tambaram, Chennai, Southern India-600059.

71 World J. Zool., 9 (2): 71-79, 2014 tiger habitat (Core zone) in Melghat Tiger Reserve by using various field guides, available literature and commenced an October 2010 to March 2011 to compare unpublished documents [1, 2, 13-15] mostly photographic with earlier study and records of butterfly fauna and their documentation was done using Digital SLR camera Canon status. 400D attached with a 90-300 mm and Canon SX 120IS. Species classification and scientific names are as per MATERIALS AND METHODS Varshney [16, 17]. Butterflies habitat preference and host plants were also assessed. Status was categorized in to Study Area: Melghat Tiger Reserve established in 1973, three, based on their occurrence during the survey period. is situated in southern offshoot of the Satpura ranges Accordingly those species occurred high proportion of (20°51’N- 21°46’ N and 76°38’E - 77°33’E). The total area the survey period were categorized as Common (C) of the Tiger Reserve comes about 1676.93 km2 including followed by Rare (R) and Very Rare (VR). the critical Tiger habitat 361.28* (*Gugamal National Park) is lies between two districts, Akola and Amravati in RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Maharashtra [10]. Melghat region experiences tropical climate with temperature ranging between 13°C and 45°C Gugamal division provides diverse habitat to various during summer. The annual rainfall ranges between 1000 butterfly species. The survey revealed that the occurrence mm and 2250 mm. A total of 715 plant species were of 66species belongs to 16 sub families (1 species of recorded in Melghat Tiger Reserve [11]. This survey was Coliadinae, 8 of Nymphalinae, 2 of Biblidinae, 1 of carried out in three forest ranges of Gugamal National Park Cyrestinae, 4 of Limenitinae, 2 of Heliconinae, 8 of in the Melghat Tiger Reserve, which is Dhargad, Dhakna Satyrinae, 1 of Charaxinae, 6 of Danainae, 1 of Pyrginae, and Chikaldara with the area surveyed 220 km2 (Map 1). 2 of Hesperiinae, 8 of Papilioninae, 4 of Coliadinae, 11 of Pierinae, 3 of Theclinae and 4 of Polyommatinae) were Survey and Identification: A detailed Butterfly survey recorded (Table 1), which is comes under 5 families was conducted in Gugamal division in the Melghat Tiger (Fig. 2) distributed over 2 super families Hesperioidea and Reserve during October-2010 to March-2011. A total of Papilionoidea [1] from the respective survey area (Fig. 3). 35 line transects were surveyed, each having 2 km The highest number of species were documented in length and 10 m width to determine the presence of Nymphalidae (31 species) followed by Pieridae (16 butterflies [12]. Each transact were visited five times in species), Papillionidae (8 species), Lycaenidae (7 species) the dawn and dusk hours. The butterflies were identified and Hesperidae (4 species) families (Fig. 4). Most of the

Map 1: Melghat Tiger Reserve and its geography along with line transects location, Central India

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Fig. 2: Percentage of Butterflies observed in the Gugamal National Park, Maharashtra during Oct-2010 to March-2011

Fig. 3: Number of butterfly species were observed from each sub-family in the Gugamal National Park, Central India during Oct-2010 and March-2011

Fig. 4: Comparisson of butterfly speicies richness in the Gugamal division, Maharashtra during Oct-2010 and March- 2011 butterflies were recorded near water bodies and scrub species are the nectar source and host plants for the habitat; In addition to that the Lantana camara, Celosia butterflies, whilst most of the common and rare species argentea, shrubs, herbs and family; Euphorbiaceae were recorded respectively.

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Table 1: check List of butterflies was recorded in Gugamal National Park in the Melghat Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra S. No Name Of The Species Scientific Name Abundance status I Papillionidae Common Rare Very Rare 1 Lime Butterfly Papilio demoleus C 2 Common Mormon Papilio polytes C 3 Spot Swordtail Graphium nomius R 4 Common Rose Pachlio ptaaristolochiae C 5 Crimson Rose Pachliopta hector* C 6 Tailed Jay Graphium Agamemnon R 7 Common bluebottle Graphium sarpedon VR 8 Blue mormon Papilio polymnestor R II Pieridae 9 Pioneer Anaphaeis aurota R 10 Mottled Emigrant Catopsilia pyranthe C 11 Crimson Tip Colotis danae R 12 Plain Orange Tip Colotis eucharis VR 13 White Orange Tip Ixias Marianne R 14 Yellow Orange Tip Ixias pyrene R 15 Small Orange Tip Colotis etrida 16 Common Emigrant Catopsilia Pomona C 17 Common Jezebel Delias eucharis R 18 One Spot Grass Yellow Euremaan dersoni C 19 Common albatross Appias albina* C 20 Small Salmon Arab Colotis amata R 21 Psyche Leptosia nina C 22 White Arab Colotis vestalis C 23 Large Salmon Arab Colotis fausta R 24 Common Grass Yellow Eurema hecabe C III Nymphalidae 25 Common Sailer Neptis hylas C 26 Tawny Coster Acrae aviolae C 27 Common Three Ring Ypthima asterope C 28 Baronet Euthalia nais C 29 Common Leopard Phalanta phalantha C 30 Great Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina C 31 Danaid Eggfly Hypolimnas misippus* R 32 Grey Pansy Junonia atlites C 33 Blue Tiger Tirumala limniace C 34 Yellow Pansy Junonia hierta R 35 Chocolate Pansy Junonia iphita R 36 Striped Tiger Danaus genutia C 37 Peacock Pansy Junonia almanac C 38 Lemon Pansy Junonia lemonias C 39 Blue Pansy Junonia orithya R 40 Plain Tiger Danaus chrysippus R 41 Common Crow Euploea core* C 42 Common Castor Ariadne merione R 43 Common lascar Pantoporia hordonia VR 44 Common Nawab Polyura athamas 45 Commander Moduza procris R 46 Common Five Ring Ypthima baldus C 47 Common Evening Brown Melanitis leda C 48 Dark Evening Brown Melanitis phedima R 49 Common Bushbrown Mycalesis perseus C 50 Bamboo Treebrown Lethe europa R

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Table 1: Continued 51 Common Four Ring Ypthima huebneri C 52 Dark Blue Tiger Tirumala septentrionis 53 Common Map Cyrestis thyodamas VR 54 Joker Byblia ilithyia VR 55 Painted Lady Cynthia cardui R IV Lycaenidae 56 Common Silverline Spindasis vulcanus R 57 Pea Blue Lampidas boelicus* R 58 Gram Blue Euchrysops cnejus* C 59 Common Pierrot Castalius rosimon VR 60 Zebra Blue Leptotes plinius R 61 Common shot Silverline Spindasis ictis R 62 Leaf blue Amblypodia anita R V Hesperiidae 63 Common Small Flat Sarangesa dasahara C 64 Small Banded Swift Pelopidas mathias R 65 Plain Banded Awl Hasora vitta C 66 Common Red Eye Matapa aria C *Scheduled species, Protected under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.

Six species of butterflies were recorded from this survey area having protected status under Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 [18] viz., Pachliopta hector-Linnaeus under schedule I, Hypolimnas misippus Linnaeus under schedule I & II Part IV, Appis albina-Boisduval under Schedule II Part II, Euploea core -Gramer under Schedule IV, Euchrysops cnejus -Fabriciousunder Schedule II and Lampidas boeticus -Linnaeus. However the present documentation added three more protected status butterflies from this study area.

Appendix I: Butterflies of Gugamal National Park in the Melghat Tiger Reserve during Oct-2010 to March-2011. (The reference no are given in the Table 1)

Papilio demoleus Papilio polytes

Graphium nomius Pachlio ptaaristolochiae

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Pachliopta hector* Spindasis vulcanus

Catopsilia pyranthe Delias eucharis

Euremaan dersoni Neptis hylas

Acrae aviolae Ypthima asterope

Euthalia nais Phalanta phalantha

Sarangesa dasahara Hypolimnas bolina

Hypolimnas misippus* Lampidas boelicus*

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Photo Courtesy: Mr. Aniruth K. Vasava and Mr. K. Narasimmarajan

REFERENCES

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14. Kunte, K., 2000. Butterflies of Peninsular India. 17. Varshney, R.K., 1983. Index RhopaloceraIndica. Part Universities Press (Hyderabad) and Indian Academy II. Common names of Butterflies from India and of Sciences (Bangalore), xviii+254pp. neighboring countries. Records of the Zoological 15. Sharma, R.M. and C. Radhakrishnan, 2005. Insecta: Survey of India. Occasional Paper, 47: 1-49. Lepidoptera (Rhopalocera and Grypocera). Fauna of 18. Arora, K., 2003. Forest laws. The Wildlife (Protection) . Zoological Survey of India. Act, 1972 as amended by the Wildlife (Protection) Conservation Area Series, 20: 251-274. Amendment Act, 2002. Professional Book Publishers, 16. Varshney, R.K., 1993, 1994 & 1997. Index New Delhi, pp: 85. RhopaloceraIndica Part III. Genera of Butterflies from India and Neighboring countries. Oriental Insects 27: 347-372; 28: 51-198; 31: 8-137; Index. 138A-C.

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